05 October 2009 Research Methods

Today’s Objectives Review from last class Discuss the objectives of applied linguistics Discuss ways to solve linguistic problems Discuss readings on research

Review from last class

Discuss the objectives of applied linguistics

Discuss ways to solve linguistic problems

Discuss readings on research

Review

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What is Applied Linguistics?

Areas of Applied Linguistics Cognitive linguistics Computational linguistics Forensic linguistics Language education Linguistic prescription Linguistic anthropology Language acquisition Language assessment Language development Neurolinguistics Psycholinguistics Stylistics Corpus Linguistics

Journal of Applied Linguistics http://applij.oxfordjournals.org/ Topic Negotiation in Peer Group Oral Assessment Situations: A Conversation Analytic Approach Constructing another Language—Usage-Based Linguistics in Second Language Acquisition English Language Teachers’ Conceptions of Research The Three Circles Redux: A Market–Theoretic Perspective on World Englishes The Lexical Coverage of Movies

Topic Negotiation in Peer Group Oral Assessment Situations: A Conversation Analytic Approach

Constructing another Language—Usage-Based Linguistics in Second Language Acquisition

English Language Teachers’ Conceptions of Research

The Three Circles Redux: A Market–Theoretic Perspective on World Englishes

The Lexical Coverage of Movies

The scripts of 318 movies were analyzed in this study to determine the vocabulary size necessary to understand 95% and 98% of the words in movies. The movies consisted of 2,841,887 running words and had a total running time of 601 hours and 33 minutes. The movies were classified as either American or British, and then put into the following genres: action, animation, comedy, suspense/crime, drama, horror, romance, science fiction, war, western, and classic. The results showed that knowledge of the most frequent 3,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words provided 95.76% coverage, and knowledge of the most frequent 6,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words provided 98.15% coverage of movies. Both American and British movies reached 95% coverage at the 3,000 word level. However, American movies reached 98% coverage at the 6,000 word level while British movies reached 98% coverage at the 7,000 word level. The vocabulary size necessary to reach 95% coverage of the different genres ranged from 3,000 to 4,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words, and 5,000 to 10,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words to reach 98% coverage. The implications for teaching and learning with movies are discussed in detail.

The scripts of 318 movies were analyzed in this study to determine the vocabulary size necessary to understand 95% and 98% of the words in movies. The movies consisted of 2,841,887 running words and had a total running time of 601 hours and 33 minutes. The movies were classified as either American or British, and then put into the following genres: action, animation, comedy, suspense/crime, drama, horror, romance, science fiction, war, western, and classic. The results showed that knowledge of the most frequent 3,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words provided 95.76% coverage, and knowledge of the most frequent 6,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words provided 98.15% coverage of movies. Both American and British movies reached 95% coverage at the 3,000 word level. However, American movies reached 98% coverage at the 6,000 word level while British movies reached 98% coverage at the 7,000 word level. The vocabulary size necessary to reach 95% coverage of the different genres ranged from 3,000 to 4,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words, and 5,000 to 10,000 word families plus proper nouns and marginal words to reach 98% coverage. The implications for teaching and learning with movies are discussed in detail.

Language Problem Solution The goal of research Research!

Applied Linguistics Activity 1

Group 1 You are developing a new English test for language learners from Asian countries. The company you are developing the test for would like to test the ‘communicative ability’ of students applying to come to the UK to study English in undergraduate courses. Questions adapted from Cook (2003) and Davies and Elder (2004)

You are developing a new English test for language learners from Asian countries. The company you are developing the test for would like to test the ‘communicative ability’ of students applying to come to the UK to study English in undergraduate courses.

Group 2 You are developing translations of various signs in the London underground. You need to produce translations of varying lengths in 10 languages. The translations should sound natural in the target language while still maintaining the integrity of the English meaning. Questions adapted from Cook (2003) and Davies and Elder (2004)

You are developing translations of various signs in the London underground. You need to produce translations of varying lengths in 10 languages. The translations should sound natural in the target language while still maintaining the integrity of the English meaning.

Group 3 The government of a European country would like to improve the proficiency of first year university students after one year of English education and would like you offer some advice on how this might be best accomplished. Questions adapted from Cook (2003) and Davies and Elder (2004)

The government of a European country would like to improve the proficiency of first year university students after one year of English education and would like you offer some advice on how this might be best accomplished.

Questions How would you go about solving this problem? What would you need to know to solve the problem? What things could be done to investigate potential solutions to the problem? How would you know if your solution would be successful?

How would you go about solving this problem?

What would you need to know to solve the problem?

What things could be done to investigate potential solutions to the problem?

How would you know if your solution would be successful?

Discussion of Reading

Questions Complete the following statements. Research is… Research is carried out in order to… What are potential threats to the validity and reliability of the research you proposed in your group activity? How might you guard against these issues? What are two potential classroom problems you could see as potentially being answered by an applied linguistic approach?

Complete the following statements.

Research is…

Research is carried out in order to…

What are potential threats to the validity and reliability of the research you proposed in your group activity? How might you guard against these issues?

What are two potential classroom problems you could see as potentially being answered by an applied linguistic approach?

Bonus Questions Can you think of some potential differences in the outcomes of a case study vs. a large survey study? Why might you choose one over the other? Can you think of times when one might be appropriate and the other not and visa versa?

Can you think of some potential differences in the outcomes of a case study vs. a large survey study?

Why might you choose one over the other?

Can you think of times when one might be appropriate and the other not and visa versa?

For Next week First review Chp. 3 Research Methods for English Language Teachers (McDonough and McDonough, 1997) Find one research journal ( TESOL Quarterly , Applied Linguistics , Asian EFL ) and review all the articles in the issue. What are the issues or questions investigated in two of the articles? What methods are used to answer the question?

What I mean by ‘read’ Take notes Consider texts in relation to: Other texts you are reading Your experience Other classes Prepare one or two questions about the text for class discussion

Take notes

Consider texts in relation to:

Other texts you are reading

Your experience

Other classes

Prepare one or two questions about the text for class discussion

References Cook, Guy (2003) Applied Linguistics (in the series Oxford Introduction to Language Study), Oxford: Oxford University Press. Davies, A. & Elder, C. (eds.) (2004) Handbook of Applied Linguistics , Oxford/Malden, MA: Blackwell.

Cook, Guy (2003) Applied Linguistics (in the series Oxford Introduction to Language Study), Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Davies, A. & Elder, C. (eds.) (2004) Handbook of Applied Linguistics , Oxford/Malden, MA: Blackwell.